Largo 28, Cape Coral 13

LARGO - In a game that started with little defense, it took a strong defensive play - followed by a football version of a bolt of lighting - to put undefeated Largo (13-0) up for good in a 28-13 Class 5A-Region 3 victory Friday against Cape Coral.

With the win, the Packers became the first Pinellas County public school to play in a state semifinal since Northeast in 1997. Largo will host Fort Lauderdale St. Thomas Aquinas (12-1) on Friday.

With Largo leading 14-7 late in the second quarter, Cape Coral was marching for the tying score when, on fourth-and-6 from the Largo 28, Seahawks coach Mike Goebbel decided to go for it.

Quarterback David Pasquale dropped back but Largo's defense had the receivers covered. Pasquale then started to run right but saw Packers defenders closing in on him. He rolled left, still dropping back, and was dropped by linebacker Mike Marry for a 21-yard loss.

Two plays later, from its 48, Largo quarterback Leonard Johnson dropped back for his first pass attempt. With the Packers effectively playing smashmouth football, the pass attempt caught the Seahawks by surprise.

Johnson threw an arching rainbow that Reginald McCray, no one within yards of him, stopped running, made the catch and walked - not jogged - the final 12 yards for a 21-7 Packers lead.

"I was so wide open I was hoping I wouldn't miss it," McCray said. "I almost freaked out I was so open. That's the first time I walked for a touchdown."

McCray said what Largo wanted to do was run so much that Cape Coral (10-3) would have 11 men in the box "and then, pop!"

"I was going to run it initially," Johnson admitted.

"We were killing them so much with our feet, that once I came to the line, their defensive backs pulled up and we went right over the top. McCray was so wide open it was shocking."

Said Goebbel: "I have no explanation for that. We knew about McCray and knew he was a go-route type of guy and we put our best guy on him. And he got burned."

Largo nearly self-destructed in the third quarter, in a short span committing five consecutive penalties with a blocked punt on the sixth that turned into a Cape Coral touchdown. After a successful onside kick by the Seahawks, it appeared the tide had turned, but Largo's defense made some key stops and the Packers' running game pounded the ball.

Brynn Harvey nearly stole the show. His scored the first two Packers touchdowns on runs of 78 and 15 yards, the former capping a 99-yard drive on Largo's first possession. Harvey finished with three touchdowns and 187 yards on 24 carries.

Cape Coral7060-13Largo71407-28 L-Harvey 78 run (Hyde kick

C-Boyd 1 run (Malloy kick)

L-Harvey 15-run (Hyde kick)

L-McCray 51-pass from Johnson (Hyde kick)

C-Gant 8 pass from Pasquale (pass failed)

L-Harvey 2 run (Hyde kick))

TEAM STATISTICS CCLFirst downs 1713Rushing 29-21939-252Passing 14-24-1333-6-105Total yards 352357Interceptions by 20Sacks by 03Fumbles-lost 0-01-1Penalties-yards 4-6514-132 Lee Diekemper can be reached at ldiekemper@